Practice target means for skeet shooting



1941- J. L. YOUNGHUSBAND 2,228,551

PRACTICE TARGET MEANS FOR SKEET SHOOTING Original Filed Jan. 10, 1938 zzz/ezzz or Jamaal )Z 467547 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRACTICE TARGET MEANS FOR. SKEET SHOOTING James L. Younghusband, Chicago, Ill.

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a light throwing device for practice in skeet shooting or the like.

This is a divisional application from the original application, Serial No. 184,167, filed J anuary 10, 1938.

Skeet and trap shooting are popular outdoor sports. For illustration, when clay pigeons are used as moving targets they are thrown in an arc and as a test of skill are shot at by the shooter from a number of desired positions. One of the positions is adjacent the trap at the beginning of the arc. Other positions are located intermediate and through diiferent points to and including a place adjacent the end of the arc. Because of inclement weather and other reasons there are periods of the year when skeet shooting cannot be enjoyed. The normal skeet shooter, being enthusiastic about the sport, is ordinarily desirous of keeping in practice.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide means whereby the skeet or trap shooter may practice at his favorite sport at any time indoors, and with his own gun unfettered by attachments and extraneous apparatus; to provide a light throwing device adapted to simulate the arc of travel of a thrown clay pigeon, and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the figure is a perspective view of my light throwing device.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention is adapted to provide a moving target to simulate a thrown clay pigeon and is a light throwing device 34 comprising a base 35 upon which is suitably positioned a motor 36 and an attached speed arrestor 31. Said motor moves a rotating member 38 to which is attached an arm 39. The arm 39 at its other end has a loop 53 which slidably receives the inner portion of rod 40. The upper end of rod 40 is attached to a clip 5i which is attached to the bottom of container 4|. Said container 4| has in its front end an electric bulb 42 in front of a reflector 43 and contains a source of electrical supply such as dry storage batteries 44. Lead wires 52 are also provided to lead to an outside source of electrical supply. A support 53 has a bottom portion 54 attached to that outer portion of the base 35 adjacent rod 40. An upstanding member 55 has 5 its lower end rotatably attached to said bottom portion 54 and has a bifurcated upper end 56 to which is pivotally attached rod 46.

My light timing device simulates the arc travelled by a thrown skeet and when used in 10 combination with the device disclosed in said original application, Serial No. 184,167, completes the genuineness of my practice means for the skeet shooter.

In actual skeet or trap shooting, when a shooter 15 misses a shot he has no way of ascertaining whether he shot over, under or to the side of the object. With my practice means the user can see for himself just where his shot of light has gone and in what manner hemissed the object- 20 whether his aim was too high, too low or too wide. The user can, with such knowledge of his error of aiming, practice to correct the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A light throwing device providing a moving 25 target simulating the arc of a thrown skeet comprising a base, a motor mounted on said base, a speed arrestor attached to said motor, a rotating member attached on one end to said motor, an arm substantially at right angles to said rotat- 3Q ing member and attached at one end to said rotating member, the other end of said arm end ingin a loop, a housing, a reflector in said housing, an electric light bulb positioned in front of said reflector in said housing, means providing 35 an electrical source of supply, a rod attached at its outer. end to said housing, and with its inner portion slidable within said loop so that the motor when running actuates the rotating member which circularly moves the arm and in turn 40 the rod and the housing to cast a travelling beam of light in the arc of a thrown skeet, a support having a bottom portion attached to the outer portion of said base adjacent said rod, an upstanding member rotatably attached at its lower 45 end to the bottom portion of said support, the upper portion of said upstanding member being bifurcated to pivotally receiVe an intermediate portion of said rod.

JAMES L. YOUNGHUSBAND. 

